Abilene Gun Owners Say They're Prepared To Protect Themselves
By: Brendaliss Gonzalez
Updated: July 20, 2012
Walk into any store or along any street and you wont know whose carrying a gun.
"There's probably a greater percentage of people carrying guns than not," said Sanders Bailey whose a licensed gun owner and a member of the National Rifle Assoc. (NRA).
That's because here in Texas anyone has the right to carry a weapon so long as its concealed and they hold a proper license.
Long time gun owner Sanders Bailey says he feels naked without it.
"I pray to God I never have to use it but i do not want to end up becoming a victim because I didn't," he said.
He carries his gun nearly everywhere he goes.
Said the retired law enforcement worker, "I take it everywhere it's legal."
Bailey is a range officer at the Abilene Gun Club and has seen a big increase in gun owners, especially women.
In fact, gun ownership has doubled every year since 2006 as more and more see it as a means of protection.
"I feel more comfortable, more secure because a lot of times when I'm in a place like this, no police right here and something were to happen, by the time that police came out here I'd become a statistic," said Dario Hernandez.
"You understand 'I've got a gun in my pocket' all you have to do is reach in and take it out and nine times out of ten that person is going to stop and not come after you anymore," said James Young, who works at the Abilene indoor shooting range.
However bailey warns that its a very big load to carry.
"If you're not willing to pull the trigger on that gun, you leave it concealed right where it is, its not to come out to be flashed and used as a warning , because that means that you're not willing to pull the trigger," he said.
"There's probably a greater percentage of people carrying guns than not," said Sanders Bailey whose a licensed gun owner and a member of the National Rifle Assoc. (NRA).
That's because here in Texas anyone has the right to carry a weapon so long as its concealed and they hold a proper license.
Long time gun owner Sanders Bailey says he feels naked without it.
"I pray to God I never have to use it but i do not want to end up becoming a victim because I didn't," he said.
He carries his gun nearly everywhere he goes.
Said the retired law enforcement worker, "I take it everywhere it's legal."
Bailey is a range officer at the Abilene Gun Club and has seen a big increase in gun owners, especially women.
In fact, gun ownership has doubled every year since 2006 as more and more see it as a means of protection.
"I feel more comfortable, more secure because a lot of times when I'm in a place like this, no police right here and something were to happen, by the time that police came out here I'd become a statistic," said Dario Hernandez.
"You understand 'I've got a gun in my pocket' all you have to do is reach in and take it out and nine times out of ten that person is going to stop and not come after you anymore," said James Young, who works at the Abilene indoor shooting range.
However bailey warns that its a very big load to carry.
"If you're not willing to pull the trigger on that gun, you leave it concealed right where it is, its not to come out to be flashed and used as a warning , because that means that you're not willing to pull the trigger," he said.
